neiliog93 wrote:munster#1 wrote:neiliog93 wrote:All I can say is that I seriously hope that at least 2-3 of the likes of Adam Byrne, O'Loughlin, Adeleokun, Matt Healy, Sweetnam, Conway and Gilroy prove to be as good in attack at international level as they look at club level (and that Joe gives them a chance in the coming international windows).
Next week should be used as a game to blood at least 2 or 3 players, and to give some of the green bench options a start.
Ireland proved in the last rwc, that just like in 2007, the coach failed to develope a squad.
In the last few months I have read so many times how Joe is developing a great squad, but I just don't see that.
Bar when Ireland play teams well below them, Ireland start with the strongest available 15.
There's no doubt that the players are there, but they need to be selected and developed.
I don't disagree with much of that but I would say that next week really isn't the time to blood players (and we both know Joe won't anyway). We will be desperate for a win, have only one significant injury worry, and will have a ropey looking England in all likelihood coming to Dublin to win a Grand Slam and break the record for consecutive Tier 1 test victories.
Bizarrely I'm very confident that we'll win next week, with our (nearly) full deck to choose from, home advantage and sheer desperation and their complacency + relative lack of form.
If not next week, then when?
The only time we ever see experimentation under Joe is against the likes of Canada, where we see wholesale changes, with little being gained from it.
I would love to see sweetnam come in for Zebo, and Conway for kearney, not just because they are from Munster, but imo they would add massively in both defense and attack.
Ryan to get a good run in the front row, Henderson to start in the second row, and stander to get a run at 8.
I don't think any of those changes would weaken the team, infact I believe that most would strengthen it, and would expand the squad beyond the usual suspects.
I don't for a minute believe that any unforced changes will be made, and we will again play 80 mins of kick chase.
Just because a post upsets you, that doesn’t mean that it is wrong. People have different views in all aspects of life, this is a key ingredient to an interesting conversation.